House passes resolution on occupation

  • 2005-07-27
  • Staff and wire reports
VILNIUS - The United States House of Representatives on July 22 adopted a resolution calling on Russia to come to terms with its Soviet past and admit its occupation of the Baltic states. (See Page 15.)
House Concurrent Resolution 128, introduced by Congressman John Shimkus, a Republican Party member from the state of Illinois and a descendant of Lithuanian immigrants, was passed unanimously.


The decree calls on Russia's leadership to acknowledge and condemn the Soviet Union's occupation of the Baltic countries of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania from 1940 's 1991.

In his statement to the House, Shimkus stressed the timeliness of the resolution. "This week is 'Captive Nations Week,' first declared so by the U.S. Congress on July 17, 1959 as a joint resolution against the continuing communist domination of the Baltic countries. President Bush has again declared this week 'Captive Nations Week' and urged Americans 'to reaffirm their commitment to all those seeking liberty, justice and self-determination.'"

As Shimkus stressed, "I can think of no better way than to honor the memories of those that fought for freedom against communist control than to pass this resolution."

Shimkus' speech was not without emotion. "During the communist occupation of the Baltics, hundreds of thousands of people were torn from their families and deported to Siberia, many never to be heard from again. No one can be exactly sure how many died or fled Soviet control, but the number has been estimated from 500,000 to as many as 750,000. You cannot meet a person in these countries without a family member or loved one who wasn't affected by these horrible practices," he said.

The congressman also used the opportunity to reiterate Russia's intransigence when coming to grips with its totalitarian past.

"Russia has been unwavering of its non-recognition of the mass deportations, torture, and murders committed by the Soviet regime. I feel, along with the 29 cosponsors of this legislation, that Russia needs to acknowledge the mistakes of the past so it can move forward and become a truthful state, and in turn a stronger democracy," he said.

Russia's unwillingness to admit the fact is believed to be determined by a fear that in such a case it would have to recognize the formerly occupied countries' demands to compensate for the damage caused by the occupation as valid. Lithuania has estimated Soviet damage at 80 billion litas (23 billion euros), but Moscow has refused to even discuss compensation.

Many Russian politicians have said that Moscow should submit counterclaims against the Baltics, demanding compensation for investments made during the Soviet era.

The timing of the resolution had been changed several times, and was postponed until the beginning of next week, only to again be included on the July 22 agenda.

The upper house of U.S. Congress, the Senate, approved the resolution in mid-May.

The resolution specifically stipulates that the Russian Federation should issue a clear and unambiguous statement of admission and condemnation of the illegal occupation and annexation of the Baltic countries. The document notes that the Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact of 1939 between Nazi Germany and the Soviet Union and its secret protocols, which provided the Soviet Union with the opportunity to occupy and annex the Baltic states, was condemned by the Congress of Peoples' Deputies of the Soviet Union.

According to the document, if the Russian government admitted the occupation, it would be a significant increase in good will among those affected, and enhance regional stability.

Foreign Minister Antanas Valionis sent a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice thanking her for the United States' non-recognition policy. Released by then U.S. Undersecretary of State Sumner Welles, the statement, which dates back to July 23, 1940, is considered to be the cornerstone of the non-recognition policy.